


A Hero's Journey

by Blayzes



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean lance, Character Death, F/M, Galran Keith, M/M, Minor Character Death, Royalty AU, So is Lotor, allura was to be queen of either earth or altea, background alluratt, blue is based off of the wolf in s6, flying by the seat of my pants writing, haggar is galran, i couldnt think of a spot for shiro so hes not here, if i ever do a sequel ill probably bring shiro in as keiths brother or something, it all depended on where their fiancees ended up, keith had no idea what his father was planning, klance, lance and keith are already in love theyre just idiots about it, lance was to be king of either altea or galra, lances father and kingdom have complete faith in him lance is just insecure, not the blue lion sorry, there are at least 5 named deaths and only 3 of them are bad guys, zarkon and haggar are keiths parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 13:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15050561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blayzes/pseuds/Blayzes
Summary: Prince Lance of Altea is betrothed to prince Keith of Galra, and he is NOT happy about it. But he'll have to put aside his dislike of his betrothed if he wants to save Altea.





	1. A Hero Introduced

**Author's Note:**

> So here's the thing: This was actually homework.
> 
> I'm in a pop culture class and the assignment was to write a short story (at least 2 pages long -- mine ended up being 19 pages) that follows the 12 steps of the "Hero's Journey" as outlined in the text (I've named the chapters after the 12 steps). Not a bad deal, considering I love writing. The problem was lack of sleep had caused my brain to completely mix up the days. The assignment was due on Sunday and I was so sure I was currently on Saturday that I was planning on just starting the assignment Saturday evening then finishing it up the next day.
> 
> It wasn't until about 6:30pm that night that I realized it was Sunday and I had about 5 and a half hours to get this done.
> 
> So what did I do? I wrote what I was familiar with: Klance. And this monstrosity came about in 5 and a half hours with no outline or planning whatsoever. I made everything up as I wrote it.
> 
> Since this was homework and I had already expressed interest in Voltron in my class, I needed to change the names. Here's a list of what I named everyone in the actual assignment:
> 
> Lance = Charles  
> Keith = Yorak  
> Allura = Lora  
> Matt = Matthew (which I kept for this fic to make him sound more regal)  
> Coran = Conan  
> Alfor = Alfred  
> Zarkon = Zakor  
> Haggar = Hegra  
> Lotor = Lorot  
> Pidge = Katelyn  
> Hunk = Hank  
> Altea = Alluran (aren't I so original)  
> Galra = Gelra (SO ORIGINAL)
> 
> I got full marks on it, by the way, despite it being 12 minutes late. My professor said it was an "epic story" and loved the "high fairy tale feel".
> 
> Because I had a short time to write it, I warn you now that the quality of it is sub-par, at best. Still, it was a challenge and I'm proud enough of it to submit it.
> 
> Enjoy!

Lance was a prince of Altea. Lance enjoyed being a prince. Lance did not even mind the fact that he would be betrothed to someone he had not even met yet. No, what Lance did not like was the person who was chosen to be that betrothed. Why?

Because that person was none other than Keith, prince from the neighboring kingdom of Galra. It wasn’t that Keith was inferior, or ugly, or any of the things that may turn away potential suiters. Quite the opposite, in fact: Keith was practically perfect in every imaginable way.

And Lance hated him for it.

He hated Keith because Keith was instantly great at everything he did while Lance had to work for his own skills, and he wasn't particularly mastered at any of them.

Lance's sister, Allura, had gotten luckier in her betrothal; yes, her fiancée, prince Matthew of Earth, was not skilled at everything like Allura herself, making them an even match. On the plus side, Matthew was kind-hearted and treated Allura like the royalty she was.

Keith, on the other hand, was blunt and brash. He had no qualms in criticizing Lance's every move, to the point where Lance often wondered how much Keith must hate their forced betrothal. Certainly, he’d prefer someone as perfect and posh as him? And Lance would be more than happy to hand his betrothed over to that perfect and posh person. However, Lance was sure no such person existed. He was stuck with Keith.

How had his life come to this?

At least Lance had his kingdom. He had a wonderful sister and future brother-in-law, parents who would give up everything they owned for their children’s happiness and well-being, and friends so great Lance wondered how he had gotten so lucky. There were also many wonderful things about being a prince; he got to learn foreign languages, study various types of combat, meet with people of other planets he may not have had the opportunity to meet were he a commoner, and some of the most delicious food he could have ever imagined (the fact that his best friend, Hunk, was a master chef helped in this regard). He even got to learn the details behind all of technology’s advancement thanks to his other best friend and Matthew's younger sister, Katie – though Lance would be lying if he said he understood most of what she taught him.

And then there’s Keith.

Okay, maybe Lance isn’t being completely honest. Keith is not that bad of a guy. It’s just… does he have to be so perfect? Make Lance feel so inferior? It got so bad, Lance had started wondering if perhaps his parents had chosen Keith specifically because they felt Lance was too inadequate to inherit any throne.

As a result of his insecurities, Lance had taken to wandering the gardens in his off time, mulling over everything and trying hard to reassure himself that his parents and kingdom had complete faith in him – that his betrothal to Keith was just to make peace between the kingdoms and ran no deeper than that.

Lance was not very good at it.

It was in the gardens that Keith found him.

“Are you moping again, Lance?” Keith spoke with a beleaguered sigh, one which Lance matched before replying.

“Are you refusing to address me by my royal titles? Again?” Lance's glare could have melted ice caps.

Crossing his arms, Keith let out a snort, “We are to be wedded soon, using our royal titles among ourselves hardly matters anymore.”

“You know what—” But Keith would never know what, for that was the moment a large and purple Galran ship hurtled towards Altea and set the planet ablaze with fire, blood, and fear.


	2. Call to Adventure and Refusal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Altea is under attack and the princes Lance and Keith must figure out what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first death happens in this chapter.

Lance and Keith – Keith pressing the handle of a blade into Lance’s hand for protection -- were moving down the Altea palace halls before the first scream could even split the air – and once the screaming started, it did not stop. Galran soldiers were piling out of the ship like ants, hoisting their firearms and shooting whoever stood in their way. Lance had almost turned on Keith – it was his people that were causing all of this destruction, after all – but Keith seemed as shocked and horrified as Lance was. Lance did not have the heart to turn him away.

By the time they reached king Alfor’s chamber, it was much too late. Fire engulfed a good half of the room, and both the king and queen had been slain and lay dead on the floor. Lance screamed, and Keith embraced him and turned him away from the carnage.

If the voice that spoke behind them was not that of the king’s, Keith would have taken his betrothed away from there, find a safe spot for his fiancée and perhaps go out and fight his own kind in the desire to protect his beloved’s planet.

Alfor’s voice was raw and gravelly; the smoke had obviously taken its toll on his voice, and it seemed to take whatever life force he had left to say his next words.

“Zarkon has betrayed us, and you, prince Keith,” he coughed out, and Lance broke free from Keith’s grip to kneel by his father’s side.

“Lance,” Alfor spoke again, every word sounding like it was be ripped from his very throat, “only you can put a stop to them.”

“What are you even talking about?” Lance nearly sobbed, fighting a losing battle against his tears as his father died before him.

“There is a cellar below the dungeons,” the king spoke swiftly now, putting aside the discomfort to speak these words to his son before they died with him. “Have Keith take you there. There, you will find the high priest, Lotor, guarding a mythic beast that will help you protect this planet. Lotor is Galran and cannot be trusted, so lie to him, tell whatever you have to tell him so that he will grant you access to the beast.”

To his credit, the usually fidgety and questioning Lance stayed quiet and still through his father’s monologue. However, Alfor had barely finished speaking when his son chose to speak.

“I can’t!” Lance shrieked. “Father, I— this isn’t the kind of job I should be trusted with! Keith should be the one, he’s much more capab—”

“Keith cannot,” the king told him. “Only an Altean of royal blood can wield the power of that beast.”

“Then Allura!” Lance interjected, needing to get across that he would fail if given this responsibility. “Allura can do this much better than I! She’ll be queen one day, if she—”

“You are more proficient than you know, my son,” and it seemed to take every last scrap of energy to gift Lance with one last smile. “You can do this. Believe in yourself as your family and your betrothed believe in you.”

Lance flinched. He couldn’t exactly put down his fiancée during his father’s final moments, but he knew with absolute certainty that Keith had no faith in him whatsoever. Keith’s continued silence only reiterated this fact.

“You can do this,” Alfor said one final time. “I love you, Lance. I will be proud even after that you were my son.”

His father’s life draining away, Lance chose to only speak of his love for his father before going quiet and holding the king until the light in Alfor’s eyes dimmed and faded. It was difficult, but Lance choked back another sob, a determination to not let his father down surging through him like wildfire. He stood and turned to his betrothed, who watched him from the doorway with a surprisingly soft expression – it was one Lance had never seen Keith wear before, and he decided he liked it a lot. He would not say as much; their relationship had never been built on kind words, and that would not end now.

“Keith, take me to the cellar.”


	3. Meeting the Mentor & Crossing the Threshold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coran enters the picture and Lance is a smarty (Keith is really proud).

The cellar was indeed quite far down. By the time the two princes had reached the hallway that lead to the cellar’s doors, Lance was out of breath and close to requesting Keith carry him the rest of the way. Only his pride kept him from actually asking.

Before them, a long hallway lead the path to the ornate cellar doors king Alfor had spoken of. Its length was daunting, to say the least. Lance almost decided his pride be damned when a voice spoke behind them.

“Lance, my dear boy!”

Lance jumped and Keith had turned around in an instant, a knife Lance didn’t even know he was carrying in hand. However, Lance knew this man and quickly placed an arm in front his betrothed.

“Leave him, Keith! This is Coran, my father’s adviser.”

Coran looked at Keith in keen interest.

“So you are the young prince Keith Lance has told me of!” he greeted with gusto, taking Keith’s hands in his and shaking them genially. “Lance talks quite a lot about you.”

Lance blanched as Keith narrowed his eyes at the two of them.

“Really? All good things?” Keith asked dubiously; he knew what the answer was.

“Well—” Coran was quickly cut off by Lance's hands on his mouth.

“We don’t really have time for this!” Lance huffed, looking mortified by the conversation. Letting out a gust of air, he turned to the royal adviser. “Coran, the Galra are attacking and my father is… he is no more.” His sentence ended in a whisper.

Bowing his head in grief, Coran placed a comforting hand on Lance's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. Keith stood away from them, giving them time to share each others grief.

Within a moment, Coran seemed to shake off his melancholy, a glint of determination entering his eyes.

“Tell me what I can do, prince Lance.”

Lance thought for a moment, trying to think like the king he would soon be and less like the boy he was only hours ago. Eventually, he came to a conclusion.

“Two things,” he spoke with certainty. “One: I’m to tame the beast behind the cellar doors and I’ve no idea how to do that. Can you—”

“I will be more than happy to teach you what I can,” Coran agreed instantly, “though I believe most of what must be done will rely on instinct rather than instruction.”

Lance just nodded, deciding to mull those words over later.

“Okay. Two: Can you please help the palace guards with getting everyone to safety? I saw them seeing to it, but I think having the royal adviser there might soothe a few hysterical people.”

“Certainly,” once again, Coran’s agreement was instant. With a bow and a wink, he said, “Good luck, my dear princes. You can do this,” before striding off in the direction the princes had come.

The walk to the cellar doors felt torturous to Lance, whose feet were sore and whose breath had not yet been completely caught. Keith did not seem worse for wear and that annoyed Lance to no end. Why was his betrothed so _perfect_ , so… so much better than himself? His worries that he could not do what his father asked resurfaced, and by time they reached the cellar doors, Lance felt he could not take that final step over the threshold.

He looked terrified, he knew, but the deepness of his terror kept him from caring. He had almost forgotten he wasn’t alone, until a warm hand wrapped around his clenched fist; the hand eased the fist until it unfurled, and the fingers of both hands laced together.

A puff of hot breath reached Lance's ear as the voice of his fiancée whispered, “You can do this, Lance. I believe in you.”

Lance could not find it in him to be shocked by this admission, nor the tenderness with which his normally brisk betrothed acted. Instead, he allowed it to soothe him, relax him, and he found it easier to step through the doors before him than he had a moment ago.

A final squeeze of Keith’s hand and the two paced forward to meet with the Galran priest.

Lotor was much handsomer than Lance expected. The Galran race was purple-skinned and rough around the edges, but Lotor was much smoother-surfaced – purple skin clean and a gentle yet intelligent look to his yellow gaze. Lance almost relaxed, but his father’s words resurfaced in his mind:

 _Lotor is Galran and cannot be trusted_  
Could his father have been wrong? Possibly, but Lance refused to take that chance. Keith seemed to agree, if his stiff stance and glare at his fellow Galran was anything to go by.

“Ah!” Lotor greeted with a friendly smile. “The princes Lance and Keith. To what do I owe the honor?”

What was it the king had said? ‘Lie to him’? In hindsight, Lance probably should have thought of a lie on their way to the cellar, but it was too late for that now. He’d have to think on his feet. He could do that.

“I have learned that my people have decided to wage a war against Galra,” Lance hoped the tremor in his voice would be attributed to shock and not the fact that he was lying through his teeth. “I cannot allow the land of my beloved be taken by my own kind. I wish to tame the beast of this cellar and use it to protect Galra.”

Lotor was predictably shocked – but not in the way Lance expected. The idea of a war between the two kingdoms did not seem surprising to the priest; rather, it seemed it was the Alteans acting first that had astonished him the most.

Perhaps Alfor was onto something when he said Lotor could not be trusted.

Luckily, Lotor bought Lance's story hook, line, and sinker. If Lance's story was true, it would be moronic to not let the Altean prince recruit himself to the Galran side. At least, that’s what Lance was banking on.

And Lance was correct in doing so. Lotor sent him a nod before turning away and activating a circle of light with his staff. After doing a few maneuvers with the staff in the air, Lotor brought it down with a loud _thunk_ onto the floor. A large beam of light suddenly shot up from the circle; when it finally thinned out, a large, blue, wolf-like creature stood where the circle had been.

The wolf instantly locked eyes with Lance and the Altean prince found he could not look away. A long moment passed between them before the wolf broke the eye contact to take in Lance's companions. With a huff, the wolf stood and walked to Lance's side, as if he had been Lance's pet since puppyhood. Tentatively, Lance ran his fingers lightly over the wolf’s blue fur, feeling encouraged when the wolf leaned his head into the touch.

“Does it have a name?” Lance asked of Lotor, not taking his eyes off of the wolf.

“Yes,” Lotor replied tersely, perhaps offended at Lance snubbing him. “His name is ancient and has been transcribed so often its original word has been lost. You see—”

“Can you just tell me what he’s called nowadays? I don’t really need a history of it.”

From the corner of his eye, Lance could see a slight pout enter Lotor’s expression.

“We have been calling him Blue.”

Blue? What a lackluster name for a beast meant to be mythical. Lance would have argued this point, but Keith cleared his throat meaningfully and the Altean prince suddenly remembered the crisis his kingdom was being sieged by. He needed to find Coran and learn how to tame this wolf so they could stop Zarkon and his forces before the kingdom was destroyed.

“Thank you, high priest Lotor,” Lance said hurriedly, finally breaking his gaze away from the wolf. “I will leave posthaste to defend Al—Galra.”

Keith looked at him with a raised eyebrow at the mistake, but Lotor did not seem to notice. His expression was back to that of a determined priest seeking to keep his home safe. He nodded and opened the cellar doors for the two princes.

Once outside the ornate doors, Keith let out a breath and suddenly, Lance was pulled into an enthusiastic, tight embrace.

A chuckle warmed his neck. “You were brilliant, Lance. That story was perfect. I’m really proud of you.”

Lance flushed and chose to take a moment to hide his red face in his betrothed’s shoulder. He had scarcely ever heard Keith speak praises to him, and he was surprised by how intensely happy finally hearing it made him. Maybe being betrothed to him wasn’t that bad, after all.

Yes, Lance could definitely get used to this.


	4. Tests, Allies, Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coran is less helpful than originally thought, and Lance learns to bond with his wolf.

Blue was fortunately large enough to ride on, and Lance could not be more grateful as the wolf beneath him sped through the halls of the Altea royal palace (he was also grateful for the strong, Galran arms wrapped around his waist, but that was something else entirely). What’s more, much like a normal canine, Blue’s sense of smell was amazing and he was able to track Coran’s location just by the now-stale scent he had left behind at his post outside of the cellar hallway.

Actually getting to Coran was another story.

True to his word, he was helping rally the Alteans to a safe spot in the castle, where the innocent civilians would be away from the war taking place outside. There was a cacophony of voices – praying, screaming, crying, calling out names or questions – that Lance's voice was drowned out when he attempted to call to the adviser.

There was no way to reach Coran on Blue without hurting the civilians, and Lance was about to dismount the wolf to try and push through the crowd on foot, when he felt a sudden presence in his mind.

His body became stock still, his eyes glowing a golden light, and when he called out Coran’s name again, he could actually feel the sound waves of it travel directly to Coran’s ears.

Coran jerked his head and locked gazes with Lance, whose eyes had settled back down to their usual deep blue. The adviser spoke quickly to a nearby guard before turning and making his way through to crowd to reach the Altean prince.

“My boy!” Coran exclaimed breathlessly, grinning when he caught sight of Blue. “I see you have managed to procure the beast!”

Blue apparently did not appreciate being spoken about in such a way, and he growled to let that fact be known. Coran backed away slightly, bring up placating hands in a soothing gesture.

“My apologies—”

“Blue,” Lance told him. “His name is Blue.” And he patted the beasts neck fur, which calmed Blue’s offended growls to silence.

“Pleasure to meet you, Blue,” Coran greeted meekly. Turning back to Lance, the easiest of the two to communicate with, Coran added, “I take it you still need lessons in what to do now that the my— er, Blue, is in your care?”

Lance nodded, “Yeah, I’m not exactly sure what to do. Blue seems to know me and trust me, but I’m not sure we’re really able to… communicate, nor how Blue is meant to stop this war.”

To Lance's surprise, Coran chuckled. “My boy, I cannot help you with any of that, I’m afraid.” Coran laughed openly when the two princes before him suddenly bore matching shocked expressions; the two were much more alike than they’d care to admit. Filing that fact away, Coran continued, “All of that is based upon your own bond with Blue. You must forge a bond with him if you wish for him to work with you. Once Blue knows you are serious about this bond, you should find it much easier to communicate.”

This only served to confuse Lance more. “But how do I bond with him? Like, what do I even _do_?”  
“I’m afraid only you are capable of figuring that out. Your bond together is a special, personal one. Nobody outside of it can help you. What I can help you with, however,” Coran added with a smirk, “is a safe space for your bond forging to occur in. If you follow me, I can—”

“Sir.”

A guard suddenly approached the three men, a serious look on his face.

“I have grave news, adviser Coran, prince Lance, prince Keith.” The guard’s eyes looked wary, even suspicious of the Galran prince before him, but he wisely chose to not voice any concerns he may have had. “High priest Lotor has betrayed us. He has joined the Galran forces against Altea.”

And indeed, Lance could see Lotor’s magic being cast in the thick of battle, even from the distance the castle windows were from the battleground.

“Looks like your father was right,” Keith growled, looking angry at Lotor’s actions. “It’s a good thing you didn’t trust him.”

Lance could only nod, feeling white hot rage burn at the back of his throat at the betrayal. Lotor would pay for that.

Blue seemed to agree, for he barked loudly in Lotor’s direction, earning screams from the nearby civilians. Suddenly, the wolf nosed at Coran and looked at Lance meaningfully. It took a moment, but Lance understood.

“Coran, that safe space?” the prince prompted quickly.

“Yes! Yes, yes, the safe space. Er, thank you,” he aimed at the guard before swiftly walking down the corridor, away from the Alteans. Over his shoulder, he called, “This way, young princes!”


	5. Approach the Inmost Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance bonds with Blue and literally falls for Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, I did start this chapter off with a 4th wall-breaking joke.

This… was not what Lance was expecting.

“Is this a literal cave?” he said incredulously, flinching when his voice echoed around the rock walls. “Like, an actual cave? Seriously?”

“Of course, dear boy!” Coran replied cheerfully. “What else did you expect?”

“I thought it’d be a meditation room or something,” Lance muttered.

“Or a training room,” Keith supplied, looking just as appalled as his betrothed by their location.

“Maybe a tea room?” At Coran’s and Keith’s disbelieving looks, Lance stammered on,” I mean—I mean, what better way to forge a bond than over tea and cakes?”

Even Blue seemed unimpressed, sending the prince a glare over his shoulder.

“Okay, okay!” Lance held up his hands in defeat. “I get it already.”

Keith dismounted the wolf, gently helping Lance down, and Lance tried to keep the fond smile off of his face at the gesture.

Blue had different plans; as soon as Lance was on the ground, the wolf nudged him hard enough to have him toppling into Keith’s strong, secure arms. Lance peeled himself away quickly after a moment of intense eye contact with the Galran prince, turning a glare to the wolf.

“Don’t we have better things to do than interfering with my love life?” he snapped. “Like, I don’t know, _stopping a war_?”

Blue nodded, but there was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes that Lance wasn’t sure he liked.

“Ahem, yes, well,” Coran muttered, earning a jump from Lance who had forgotten the adviser was still there. The Altean prince blushed and avoided eye contact with everyone. Interestingly, Keith seemed amused by his betrothed’s antics.

“I will be on my way,” Coran continued, striding towards the cave entrance; the cave seemed to be like the cellar, in that it was located beneath the dungeons. Why the Altean kingdom had an empty cave under the palace was beyond Lance's understanding. For better or worse, it was there and at least provided a haven where he could form a bond with Blue as soon as possible.

“Thanks, Coran!” Lance called after the adviser, who waved a jolly hand in reply before disappearing.

With a heavy sigh, Lance slumped to the ground and stared at the blue wolf in front of him.

“Coran said I’d know what to do, that only I can do this, but… how do you bond with a _mythical wolf_ in an _hour_?” he asked nobody at all. Keith seemed to feel inclined to answer anyway.

“Maybe… talk to it?” At Lance's dubious look, Keith huffed, “Well, I don’t _know_! You bond with people by talking to them and getting to know them.”

“How do I do that with a creature that can’t talk back, exactly?”

“You could at least talk about yourself, let Blue get to know you.”

“And how will that help?”

“How will it _hurt_? Why are you even against it? You love talking about yourself, it’s what you're best at!”

“Okay, you know what—”

Keith would never know what, for it seemed Blue was tired of their bickering. Suddenly, hieroglyphs began glowing blue on the rock walls, the light almost blinding. Before either prince could ask what was happening, what seemed to be lasers began to shoot from the symbols right at the two boys.

Screaming, the princes hopped around, avoiding the lasers as much as possible. Only Blue sat still, completely unaffected by the light beams shooting around him.

“What did you do?!” Keith yelled at his betrothed.

“Why is this my fault?!” Lance yelled back.

“Because your arguing started it!”

“You argued back, so you’re an equal party!”

A loud bark filled the air and the princes fell silent, still dodging the lasers and looking much like newly headless chickens.

Blue was glaring at them both, but his eyes seem to stay on Lance more than Keith. The intensity of the wolf’s stare gave Lance the distinct impression that a message was attempting to be sent to him through the wolf’s gaze alone.

Allowing his elusion of the lasers to become an action of auto-pilot, Lance stared back at Blue, trying to work out what the wolf was trying to tell him.

Finally, it all clicked into place.

Lance stopped moving and crouched to the ground, never breaking his gaze with Blue’s.

“What are you doing?!” Keith shrieked, about ready to jump in and shield his beloved from the firing rays still shooting at them.

Lance ignored him.

“I trust you, Blue,” the Altean prince said, eye contact still as sturdy with the wolf’s as ever. “I know you won’t let us get hurt. I trust you with my life.”

And with that, the blue lasers ceased and the light on the rock walls disappeared.


	6. Hero Endures Supreme Ordeal Pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance, Keith, and Blue rush off to confront the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A major character death takes part in this chapter, so be forewarned.

Trust was indeed a strong bond, and Lance meant it when he had said he trusted Blue with his life.

It never dawned on him that his trust would be tested.

Lance, Keith, and Blue sped towards the battlefield, ready to take this threat head-on. They didn’t have a plan, but that hardly mattered; Lance knew the wolf would help him understand what had to be done.

For the sake of his people, Lance was ready to do whatever it took. With Keith and Blue by his side, he knew he could handle whatever may come.

Still, it came as a surprise when Zarkon himself suddenly loomed over them. He was smirking, a deadly gleam to his eye as his gaze sought out his son.

“Keith!” he boomed, smug. “Lotor told me the young Altean prince is on our side. The Altean royals won’t want to harm their brood; we’ve already won this war.”

“Actu—” Keith began to grit out but Lance cut him off.

“That’s correct, sir.” Lance turned to his betrothed, hoping Keith got the message to play along.

“His loyalty to me was greater than his loyalty to his own,” Keith put in after a moment’s hesitation; Lance felt a surge of pride.

“Good, he will fit right in,” Zarkon grinned.

“Yes,” Keith agreed, a dangerous glint in his eye. Lance subtly leaned his arm back, taking Keith’s hand into his and rubbing a gentle thumb over his betrothed’s knuckles, telling him through the movement to relax and follow Lance's lead. Keith relaxed and Lance couldn’t stop the wave of warmth that engulfed his heart; he and Keith knew each other so well now, and Lance did not realize it would mean as much to him as it did.

Feeling a burst of courage thanks to his beloved – because he could admit that’s what Keith was to him, his beloved – Lance dismounted the wolf and took a step towards Zarkon, as if to give himself up to the Galran king’s orders. However, his bond with Blue was suddenly forgotten in the wake of new feelings, and instead of working with the wolf to take down Zarkon successfully, Lance let his newfound confidence overtake his logic. He pulled out the knife Keith had given him earlier, but he wasn’t quick enough; Lance had time to process the expression on Zarkon’s face – one that said he had expected nothing less of his son’s betrothed – before he felt the blade of a sword pierce his chest.

His last memory was that of Keith screaming his name before his world went black and he knew no more.

 

\--

 

“Father!” Keith cried, feeling rage and hatred towards his parent, his king. “Why?! He was my—he was my—” He couldn’t even finish the thought, the stinging of tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“He was your liability,” Zarkon said emotionlessly, “and I expect you to take responsibility for it.”

He was striding back to his ship before Keith could string even two words together. Instead, filled with sudden shock and grief, he fell to the ground beside his betrothed and let a sob shake him.

A moment later, he remembered he wasn’t alone.

“Blue!” Keith pleaded with the wolf, near tears as he knelt next to the body of his beloved. “You’re supposed to be mythical! _Heal_ him! Bring him back! Can you do that?”

The wolf’s eyes never left him as it nodded in affirmation once. Relief flooded Keith at that, until an androgynous echoed in the walls of his mind.

_But it will come at a price._

“Anything!” Keith instantly told it. “Anything, I’ll give anything! My own life, if I must! What can I give?”

 _It is not your life I seek_ , the voice spoke to him again, _but that of the one who stole the prince’s life and brought evil to this land._

Keith looked at the wolf in shock. “My… my father?”

Blue nodded again.

The thought of sacrificing his own father should have horrified him. Yet, it had been Zarkon that had taken Lance from him. It had been Zarkon that brought this pain and devastation to Altea’s peaceful land.

Zarkon did not deserve mercy, not even from his own son. And Keith was more than happy to give his father up if it meant saving his love, his prince, his Lance.

“Fine, take him. I just want Lance back.” Suddenly uncertain, Keith asked, “You’re sure you can do this?”

 _Yes, young prince_ , the voice replied with a bite to it, and Keith flinched at its tone. _I am far older and far more powerful than either of these lands combined. I have witnessed that which you cannot imagine. My power far exceeds that of every high priest alive. My power is so strong and timeless, much as myself, that no living being can even remember my true name._

Swallowing, Keith asked quietly, “And what _is_ your true name?”

Blue’s eyes seem to sharpen, his gaze boring right into Keith’s.

_God._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea how excited I was to write the end of this chapter. I thought of it in the shower and practically bounced with enthusiasm. To be fair, it was close to midnight, I had gotten home from work only hours before, and I was feeling tired and giddy.
> 
> I also want to clarify that Blue is not the Christian God, but rather A God in general.


	7. Hero Endures Supreme Ordeal Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith figures out how to take down his father (not so hard when God is right there helping).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another character death in this chapter.

Keith’s eyes widened and he said no more.

Satiated by the prince’s silence, Blue pointed his muzzle towards the Galran ship.

_Bring me your father and I will transfer his life force to the body of your prince._

Not able to find his voice, Keith just nodded and stood. With a last despairing look to his beloved, Keith swiftly made his way to where his father stood commanding his army.

“Father!” he called out after reassuring himself that his tears were wiped clear and his face was that of determination rather than the grief that internally shook him.

“Father, you seemed to have overlooked something,” he said, letting a note of false excitement enter his tone with a smile.

“And what is that?” Zarkon asked with a cold frown. “Is the boy still living?”

Swallowing down his rage at that, Keith shook his head. “No, he’s dead.” Not for long, but Zarkon didn’t need to know that. “What you overlooked was his wolf.”

Looking put upon, as if his son were a child showing him a crude drawing, Zarkon turned away. “And what do I want with a wolf?”

This was going to be the hard part; Keith was not good at pulling lies out of thin air like Lance. He was going to have to wing it and hope his betrothed had rubbed off on him.

“His wolf is a mythical creature of this land,” Keith told his father. When Zarkon lacked interest, Keith continued swiftly, “He had a bond with Lance. Now that Lance is dead,” and that word was hard to grit out without letting his voice wobble, but he managed, “the wolf may be able to bond with you. Perhaps it can even share Altean secrets with his newfound bond partner.”

Now Zarkon’s interest was piqued.

“Take me to it.”

Obliging, Keith lead his father to Blue, refusing to let his gaze fall onto the body beside the wolf, knowing his composure would break if he did.

Blue looked at Zarkon with an intensity that almost scared Keith if he wasn’t aware of what the wolf was about to do. Zarkon kneeled in front of the wolf, looking into Blue’s eyes.

“And how do I bond with this beast?” he asked, snarling as if Blue was beneath him. The wolf did not appreciate that and his intense gaze sharpened. Keith could feel that Blue would enjoy draining the Galran’s life force.

Zarkon seemed suddenly dizzy, his head drooping though his gaze remained steadily locked onto Blue’s.

“What--,” he tried to breathe out, and it seemed to take everything he had in him to say those few words, “What is happening?”

“He’s bonding with you,” Keith encouraged, chancing a peek at his beloved and feeling his heart leap when Lance's chest moved shallowly. “Your strength will return once the bond is complete, the same thing happened to Lance.”

The ability to speak seemed to have left Zarkon; in fact, he barely appeared able to stay leaning, and Keith was sure it was only Blue stealing his life force through eye contact that kept him from collapsing completely.

If Lance's life were not on the line, Keith might feel more disturbed by what he was witnessing. His father’s body was becoming more skeletal, as if every bit of fluid, fat, and muscle was leaving him. His cheeks sunk in drastically, his arms and legs so thin Keith wondered how they managed to hold Zarkon up without breaking in half. It was a horrifying sight, but Keith refused to look away; he would see this to the end, would brave this for Lance.

Finally, Zarkon fell to the ground, lifeless. To his right, Keith heard a shuddering intake of breath.

 

\--

 

Lance didn’t know it possible to be embraced so tightly. Yet here he was, in Keith’s arms as if Keith would rather die than let him go. He could feel his betrothed shaking with barely-suppressed sobs and finally found the strength to wind his arms around the Galran prince, rubbing soothing circles into his back.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” Keith bit out, his tears and shaky voice belying the fear behind his words. “You were supposed to trust Blue, not jump in head first with a knife! Being reckless is my job!”

Lance couldn’t help but laugh at that. He really couldn’t help it; he felt so joyous, so happy – he was alive, Keith was alive, and the king that started this war was overthrown.

Tightening his grip, Lance nuzzled into Keith’s neck. “I’m so proud of you,” he breathed. “You single-handedly saved us.”

_Not yet._

Both princes jumped at that.

_The king is dead, but he was merely the puppet. The puppet master lies within the ship, and she is still controlling this war._

“Her?” Keith gasped. “You don’t—Do you mean—”

 _Haggar,_ Blue nodded.

“Your mother,” Lance whispered, gazing sympathetically at his beloved.

“No,” Keith shook his head, turning a hardened stare to his father’s ship. “She is no mother of mine.”

_We best be off._

The princes nodded.

_And Lance?_

Swallowing at Blue’s snippy tone, looked meekly to him, “Y-yes?”

_Do not betray our bond again. Am I clear?_

Ducking into Keith’s chest, Lance nodded. “Crystal.”

_Good. Let it be known that I do not usually trust Galra, and if I had not seen that Keith was worthy of my trust, you would still be lying dead on the ground. And for what you did, I would have let you rot._

Keith’s grip tightened.

_However… impulsive you may be, I do see the greatness within you. Throw your ego to the wind so you may reach this greatness. Promise me that and I will remain your bond partner. But be forewarned; I do not take oath breaking lightly. For your own good, you would do well to keep any promises you make to me._

Determination – and fear, he’ll admit it – hardening in his eyes, Lance stood with Keith’s hands in his.

“I promise,” he told the wolf with complete sincerity.

Satisfied, Blue nodded and came to stand beside them. _Then let’s be off._


	8. Seizing the Sword, Reward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zarkon's dead but the war is not over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another character death in this one.

The inside of the Galra ship was massive. It no longer surprised Lance how such a large army managed to fit inside a single ship; he felt the entirety of Galra could probably fit in the ship and possibly have room to spare.

The halls were bare of life, every soldier out on the grounds fighting against the Alteans. Zarkon and Haggar obviously felt cocky in their chances of keeping the Altea forces at bay. Honestly, if Lance didn’t have literally _God_ on his side, Zarkon and Haggar would have been completely right.

However, Lance did have a deity on his side, and that was a factor he hoped Haggar would not have accounted for. Considering Zarkon didn’t even know who Blue was, it was a pretty safe bet.

Blue was quick, racing like the wind down the halls of the ship, eventually ending up at a closed up room. Lance stared at the sealed doors in dismay, but he quickly quashed that; they’d be fine, they had Blue. Blue would know what to do.

The wolf raised his head up, as if feeling proud of Lance's faith in him. He expected it when the sensation of going rigid surged through him.

Feeling Blue’s power go through him, he raised a hand and leaned forward, pressing his palm to the door. A blue light seeped through the cracks suddenly, forcing the door open a moment later.

Haggar stood at some sort of crystal ball. From where he sat on Blue, Lance could see the battleground in the crystal. Haggar jerked her head to their direction, her eyes landing immediately on the wolf.

“What are you doing here?” and Lance was pleased to hear the note of fear in her voice. “Begone, creature! This battle does not concern you!”

_Oh, it does. I will not allow you to desecrate this land yet again._

Blue nudged his back upwards, urging the princes to remove themselves, which they quickly obliged. Then Blue was locking eyes with Lance and Lance felt his body stiffen again, his eyes glowing golden.

Now a team, the deity and his protégé stepped forward, looking equally dangerous, like predators stalking their defenseless prey. Haggar backed up, bumping into her crystal and knocking it to the ground. Moving like one, Blue lunged for the crystal and Lance lunged for the witch.

The crystal was apparently a necessity in Haggar’s control over the battle for the wolf was intent on destroying it so that even pieces would not be left behind. Lance kept his focus on Haggar, moving past her outstretched hands as they mauled at his arms, and pressing his palm to her face.

Haggar screamed, no doubt feeling her life force being sucked from her by Lance's deft hand. Lance exercised complete control, ignoring the pain of her clawed hand gouging into his arm, fixated on using the power the wolf lent him to take the witch’s life from her and stop this war before it could destroy Altea.

After what felt like an eternity, Haggar fell to the ground in a lifeless heap. A little further away, Blue sat next to what looked like glass dust, gazing at the dead witch in satisfaction. And then Lance felt Blue’s presence leave his mind, and he collapsed to the ground, his energy spent.

Keith was there to catch him.

“You did it,” he smiled softly at his beloved.

“ _We_ did it,” Lance rasped back.

He was weakened, but he had enough energy to reach his hand behind Keith and pull his head in for a kiss.


	9. The Road Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Zarkon and Haggar dead, there is only one more Galran that needs taking care of... (it's Lotor)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last of the character deaths in this chapter.

Lance was never more glad to have Blue as a ride than this moment right here. He didn’t think he’d be able to make it through the halls and back to the battleground on foot; it felt like stealing Haggar’s life force had drained some of his own.

_No, you are just still weakened from death._

Blue’s voice in his head had ceased to surprise him at this point.

_It was I who kept you strong enough to take Haggar down. Well, I, and your determination._

“You’re kind of like an energy drink, huh? You feel the energy at first, and then crash like an hour later.”

Blue’s laughter filled his head, and he could hear Keith chuckling behind him.

And thank God – thank Blue? – for Keith because he was the only thing keeping Lance upright at this point.

The battleground was a mess, to say the least. The news of Zarkon’s and Haggar’s deaths seemed to have spread, and Lotor apparently decided to take up arms in the king’s and queen’s place. In fact, Lance could hear him proclaiming himself the new king. Lance also heard the responding growl from Keith behind him.

Lotor may have been the high priest that summoned Blue, but it was obvious Blue held nothing but contempt for the man. The moment they were close enough, Blue lowered his head and snarled fiercely. Lotor instantly turned to them, his eyes sharp as a flint in a glare harsher than Zarkon had ever given.

“Well,” he drawled, a sneer curling his lips. “If it isn't the princes Lance and Keith. And Blue, too! What a surprise. I didn’t think you’d survive the bonding exercise young prince.”

“Just because you’re too weak to handle it doesn’t mean I am!” Lance retorted; he had enough energy for that.

“We shall see,” Lotor would not be deterred.

Before anyone could react, he raised his staff and summoned some kind of magic circle. Lance really regretted not paying much attention in the classes that taught alchemy and sorcery, because then he’d know what Lotor was doing. Right now, he was going in completely blind.

He slid from Blue’s back with a sudden force it took his breath away. Lance was pinned to the ground by something invisible, and he could barely breathe, barely heard Keith shout his name from behind him.

 

\--

 

Keith wanted to get to his beloved, but Blue had backed away from the magic circle.

“What are you doing?! He could be killing Lance!”

_He won’t. Not quickly enough to save him, anyway. I will kill him._

Nodding, determined, Keith asked, “What can I do?”

_Anything you can to keep his eyes off of me._

With that, Blue nudged Keith off his back and took off, circling around. Lotor realized it, unfortunately, and began to turn towards the wolf.

Now or never.

Grabbing the handle of his blade, Keith threw it with expert precision; with a shriek of pain from Lotor, it hit the target – Lotor’s stomach.

Lotor doubled over in agony and Blue took that initiative. Like a vampire, Blue sucked Lotor’s life force from his body through biting his throat.

Unable to focus on his spell, the magic circle disappeared and Lance was released, panting on the ground. Keith was by his side in an instant.

Neither prince felt any desire to watch another death take place, regardless of whether it was a traitor’s life or not. Rather, the two felt content looking into each other’s eyes, finding peace there.

A thump to the ground and it was all over.


	10. Resurrection & Return with the Elixir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war is over and duty calls. Lance and Keith learn that love may hurt, but it's worth it in the end.

The war was over quickly after. The only Galran with authority was Keith and he quickly called off his Galran forces. The army was reluctant, to say the least, but they knew not to draw the ire of the man who had helped in the deaths of the three most powerful Galra alive.

That, and the literal God-in-wolf-form sticking to his side certainly helped.

Cleaning up was also difficult. Princess Allura and Prince Matthew – now Queen Allura and King Matthew – had survived the assault and took over as rulers of Altea. Lance and Allura grieved deeply for their lost parents and the loss of so many Alteans, but life had to move on. Allura had Matthew’s shoulder to cry on, and Lance had Keith’s.

Which was another matter. Lance had decided to help Keith rule Galra. It wasn’t a decision made lightly; Keith could see how much Lance would miss Altea. However, Lance insisted, and Keith was happy that the war had not completely drained Lance of his stubbornness.

Especially when Lance himself seemed different.

He wasn’t as cheerful as he used to be. He took his responsibilities more seriously and his bickering with Keith had ceased.

Keith missed it with a fervor he could not put into words. He did not realize how much he enjoyed his banter with Lance until it was gone.

He swore he would get Lance – _his_ Lance – back somehow.

 

\--

 

With everything now in the capable hands of Allura and Matthew, it was with a heavy heart that Lance left his home, knowing it would no longer be home.

Galra was his home now.

And that hurt.

But he would do this. He could do this. For his people, for the Galra. For Keith.

Speaking of which, Keith had been behaving strangely since returning to Galra. He was… distant, somehow. And Lance did not like it.

It would not be until a week after they had returned to Keith’s home planet that Lance would discover the reason behind Keith’s distance.

Lance found Keith in the gardens – unusual as Keith was not one to be in the gardens unless he was chasing after Lance.

“What ails you?” Lance spoke from behind Keith, causing Keith to jump and Lance to laugh. “Did you really not hear me approach? That’s not like you.”

Keith sighed but otherwise stayed silent. It picked at Lance's heart. He strode closer to his beloved – soon to be his husband – and wrapped his arms around Keith’s middle.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been so removed from me lately.” Insecurities rearing their head again, Lance nuzzled into the nape of Keith’s neck. “Have you decided you made a mistake in choosing to marry me?”

The reaction was instant. Keith twisted around so quick Lance nearly got whiplash. He crushed Lance to his chest, looking horrified.

“No, of course not!” he exclaimed, upset at the mere notion. Seemingly realizing he needed to fess up to his issue, he sighed again and pressed his forehead to his beloved’s. “Have… have _you_ made a mistake in choosing rule Galra with me?”

Lance jerked back in shock. “Why would you even think that?!”

“Because you miss Altea! And I’ve hardly seen you smile since the war ended! Lance—Lance, if you’re unhappy with this arrangement, or with me, then please tel—”

Keith was cut off when Lance pressed their lips together in a sweet kiss. It was gentle and soft and Keith melted into it.

Lance was smiling when he pulled away. “I don’t regret it. I don’t regret you. And yeah, I miss Altea. That was my home, of course I miss it.”

“Do you want to go back?” It looked like the very thought was tearing Keith up; it broke Lance's heart to see.

“No. Not for good, anyway.” Suddenly sheepish, Lance ducked his head and peered at Keith through his eyelashes. “But maybe we can make frequent visits?”

Keith blinked a few times before chuckling. “Of course, we can. How about we schedule weekly or bi-weekly visits? You could have tea with Allura and see how Altea is getting on.”

Lance perked up far more than Keith had seen since before the war had started. It was a smile Keith had missed dearly. He just had to kiss it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is! <3 Thank you all SO much for reading! I'm considering writing a sequel (one that will be more thought out and not written on a time crunch under stress and lack of sleep) but I'm not sure yet? Let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> My main tumblr: [space-mom-lance](http://space-mom-lance.tumblr.com/)  
> My art tumblr: [mewkiichigo](http://mewkiichigo.tumblr.com/)  
> My deviantART: [blayzes](http://blayzes.deviantart.com/)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! <3


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